Barnaby: Sam's Alan Super Record

Here begins a series of posts on bikes I have put together for other people.

This is Sam's Alan Super Record, which is actually still in progress (proper pedals needed; black cloth finishing tape to be properly glued!). The frame dates, I believe, from the late 70s. It's a top-of-the-line racing frame — many races have been won on such frames. I have an Alan cyclocross frame from the 90s, which I like very much. This frame seems equally well adapted to its purpose: racing.

It came to me (from Mike Barry) with a Mavic bottom bracket installed (and its BB shell chamfered) and with an odd, old Shimano 600 headset. The headset was overhauled and kept. The bottom bracket was put "on file," and every other component was taken from a complete bicycle purchased on eBay. (The frame from which will be for sale soon!)

Everything, that is, beside the brakes. The Spidel Mafac Competition-like brakes are my favourite part of the bike, I think. They're contemporary to the frame, and they work better than anything else currently on the market. The front cable routing might look a bit awkward, but it works very well.

All in all, a bicycle that sacrifices nothing in performance or style.

Sam calls him "Barnaby."